Skate wheel



June 16, 1925.

A. H. SHOEMAKER SKATE WHEEL Filed April 25. 1922 BY I ATi'oRNaY Patented June 16, 1925.

ALVIN- H, SHQEMAKEB or snarmtn wesnmemom s gas]: W EEL.

Application filed irpriras, 192st seriaiwoi 55%;;4'14.

To all whowuitnma y comemr Be it known :tliattI ALVINH; SH'oEMAKnR; a cltizenofi theUn'it'ed State's; and aresi'dent ft Seattle. inl thecoun'ty of King; and State of: \Va shingtoh, have invented certain new" and useful Improvementsin Skate lVhjeels;

of: whiclhthefollowing is a specification.

invention relates to improvements in wheels for roller skates, and the object of" my, improvement is-to provide a slrategwheel in which the tread port on is formed of a" resilient on elastic materlalas rubber that is-capahle of "absorbingslight shocks and vi brations that will not mark or'mar'thefjsur face on which it runs andthat will be prac' tically noiseless in operation.-

Another obj ect is to'prov i de skate wheel of this naturehaving' a relatively long? bearing; that: is, provided Wlllh""2t whe e] i or tread portion at eacli end, each of said tread portions being formed of a rubber disc that is securely clampedbetween two'side mem+ bersewhereby it 'is rigidly lield'against move merit relatii eF to the *otherparts of the *wlieelf Otherobj ects are to provide *aslr'ate wheel that: is a strong and i substantial inconstrue tion,-relatively light in. weight; cheap" to: manufacture, and one that is possessed of excellenttwearingi qualities. 1

Other and more specific objects will be" apparent from: the following description taken -in %connection with the accompanying drawings;

of metal, which possesses-slight resilience and elasticity; xand which is -'p;ro"duct1ve"of much noise whenuthe' skates are used on floors;

pavements; sidewalks and like surfaces? I am aware that previous attempts I have jbeen made to producefsuccessfirskate wireueuavling -treads forme ent material. lvheels liavingtread sur faces formed of rubber overcome these 0bjectionable features, but on account of the small diameters of the wheels, it'is diflicult to provide treads in the form of tires that will stay on the wheels and that can be effectively anchored against creeping. I have found that by making the wheels of duplex construction with a relatively long axial bearing, and with a rubber disc at each end, the said rubber discs each being securely clamped between members of smaller diameter than the discs, it is possible to prod of other and nrore' resili' duce a thoroughly practical and successful s {ate-j wheel having a rubbertread portion} that is: sufliciently substantial to withstand all ordinary usage and that" is permanently. anchored to-tlie' axle portions of the wheel, n such a manner as toprevent it from creep 0- ingflfon the wheel orlieing stripped off ofltlj wheel? I 1 In the drawin s; Figure 1, is a View;

longitudinalfmidsection of a skate Wheel] constructed-inaccordancewith jmy' inventio y 6a; and Flgure 2, is'a viewin cross'sjection of ther same; substantially Figure '11 g g L1ke"- reference nfu n'erals designate like on broken line 22 of partsi throughout the several Views. 7

Referring to'ftlie drawings, I hav shown a skateWlteehcomprisingfa relatively long bearing tub e or hub In'einber' a pen the endsofTWhich' are m untea two discs (land: 7 of: elastic" material as rubber or rubber composition, that areseparated 'from each otlierf'by a spacingb'lo'ck'f 8, and i that; are set curely 'clampefdagainist" the ends" of the spacing' lilock' 8by" washers the ends of the bearing tube Being} riveted or flanged" out} p wardly as atlO to'prevent displacementof" the washers 9-andrto ings were Whee'l's;

Thefendsof tlie spacing blocks 8 are of" conical shape-Q; as ind'icated' at 11 and} the washers 9 may be dished slightly' as shown so tlrat whentht whe"e'l is assembled; the

form end thrust" been i i a rubber discs6"and" 7 willfb'e; under greater Roller: skate wheels are ordinarilymade" compression near' the axle tube- 5, than nea-r the periphery of the block '8 andwashers 9,1 the compression preferably" gradually decreasing from the center outwardly The discs and aresufii'cieiitly' larger in (ram eterthanthe spacing block: 8" and washers 9 to' providea" substantial tread portion that? will withstand a great amount of use before; it will become worn down to tlie same diam etc? as said spacing block andweeters:

In constructing the discs 6 and 7 the inner surfaces may be recessed to partially or en tirely conform to the shape of the ends 11 of the spacing block 8. a

In assembling this wheel the discs 6 and 7 are firmly and securely clamp-ed between the ends of the spacing block 8 andthe washers 9, so that the central portions of such discs are maintained in a state of compression, the compression preferably being greatest toward the center and decreasing toward the periphery, but such compression being bearin great enough at all points to prevent any movement of the discs 6 and? between the ends of the block 8 and the washers 9.

The spacing block 8 is movable, lengthwise of the bearing tube 5, thereby equalizing the compression of the two discs 6 and 7.

The discs 6 and 7 are preferably made of =a rubber composition that is sufficiently solid to produce a substantial and easy running wheel and at the same time is sufficiently elastic so that it will not be aflected by small obstructions as sand or small pebbles that may be encountered in use.

These skates are especially well adapted for the use of children in skating on sidewalks, pavements and like places where the surfaces are not always level and are often covered with sand, grit and small pebbles, that offer serious obstruction to metal wheels. Another greatadvantage of these skates for childrens use is that they are practically noiseless in operation and will not mark or mar ordinary floors, thereby enabling children to use them in dwelling houses without damaging the floors or annoying the occupants.

The wheels are relatively cheap in construction, are substantial and durable, are relatively light in weight as compared with the usualmetal wheel structure, are practically noiseless in operation and eliminate much of the jolt and jar common to metal wheels. The long bearing tube 5 affords a from which dirt and sand is easily 0' excludzd. V

Only two of these wheels are needed on each skate, each wheel being in effect a double wheel with but a single bearing that extends entirely across the skate that is very strong and durable in construction, that makes the wheel run easily and smoothly and that eliminates the necessity of the four individual roller bearings for 'eachof the four wheels of a skate as are ordinarily provided. i

In operation these wheels have been foundtobe verysatisfactory and to permit the skate to be turned and manipulated in substantially the same manner as the ordinar skate wheel does.

The foregoing description together with r the accompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention,

but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrated and that such changes in the device may be made as are within the scope and spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A skate wheel embodying a bearing member, two discs of elastic material disposed near the respective ends of said bearing member and forming treads, spacing means of less diameter than said discs interposed between said discs and means on the ends of said bearing member for compressing said discs against said spacing means.

2. A skate wheel embodying a relatively long bearing tube, two discs of elastic material disposed near the respective ends of said bearing tube, a spacing block of less diameter than said discs, slidable on said bearing tube and interposed between said discs, and washer members secured on the ends of said bearing tube for holding said discs firmly compressed against the ends of said spacing blocks.

3. A skate wheel embodying'two spaced apart discs of resilient material, a spacing block interposed between said two discs, said spacing block being 'of less diameter than said discs, and having convex ends engaging said discs, a bearing tube extending through said spacing block and said discs and washers on the ends of said bearing tube engaging the outer sides of said discs, the discs being securely compressed between the ends of the spacing block and the washers and the ends of the bearing tube being flanged outwardly, to retain the washers thereon.

4-. A duplex wheel for a roller skate, em-

bodying two spaced apart rubber discs, a,

spacing member interposed between said discs and having conical ends that engage said discs, an axial bearing tube "extending through said spacing member and said discsv and washers secured on the ends of said bearing tube, said washers having convex .inner sides that engage with the outer sides of said discs, the discs being highly compressed between the ends of the spacing member and the washers.

ALVIN H. SHOEMAKER. 

